Use a password generator app or softwarePasswords generating apps or software are especially designed to create highly secure passwords that are difficult to crack or guess. Users are given the option to select from the criteria they want and the passwords are generated automatically. The number of options you choose from the criteria can be increased for tougher security of passwords.

Use passphrases and convert them to passwordsUsers can even consider generating their passwords from a sentence or pass phrase. For example, one can select a book, a page number and a sentence of up to 8 words or more. The best part about pass phrases is that they are easy to remember and only unique to the individuals that select them.

Use non-English passwords where possibleTranslate the least expected language for example Sanskrit, into English and use them as passwords. The chances of hackers predicting your password is minimized.

Never use the same passwords for all accountsIt can get annoying to keep a track of different passwords for different accounts but it is most advisable to do so. The reason is fairly simple; if the hacker is able to figure out the password for one account, he/she will be able to access all the other accounts, as well.

Some 50 years from now, optical, magnetic and flash drives will become obsolete and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) will be used for large-scale data storage. In July 2016, a team from Microsoft Research and the University of Washington along with Twist Bioscience, a San Francisco start-up, reached a milestone by successfully storing 200 MB of digital data in DNA. The size of this synthesized DNA containing data was comparable with the tip of a pencil.

DNA possesses some of the attractive properties important for storing data, firstly, it is very stable; synthetic DNA can remain intact for thousands of years. Secondly, DNA is never going to become obsolete as it holds blueprint of the living system. Thirdly, it has high packing density — 1 kg of DNA is enough to store all the data available in the world.DNA consists of nucleotides, and each nucleotide, in turn, contains a phosphate group, a sugar group, and a nitrogen base. There are four nitrogen bases, namely (A)denine, (T)hymine, (G)uanine and (C)ytosine. The sequence of base is a kind of genetic code that is passed from parents to children. Oligonucleotides are short DNA molecules, these small bits of nucleic acids can be synthesized in the laboratory as single strand molecule with any user specified sequence. This fact is used by engineers and biologist to store information.

The concept of storing data is not new to DNA. In fact, much before the advent of semiconductors, DNA has been carrying genetic data for generations. The only difference is in the format of data. DNA carries data in form of sequence of nitrogen base pair, for example, GATCAG, whereas semiconductors carry data in form of binary digits, for example, 11010.

Let's understand the mechanism. Suppose we wish to store an image in DNA. The image is broken down into pixels. The brightness value of each pixel, available in form of binary number is uniquely mapped to nitrogen base pair sequence, for example, 11010 is mapped to GATCAG. Once the complete DNA map is ready, DNA can be artificially synthesized in a laboratory. This process is analogous to writing data in DVD. Once synthesized, DNA can be stored in test tubes for hundreds of years. When we wish to retrieve the data we just have to read the synthesized DNA using a DNA sequencing machine. This process will generate the exact sequence of base pair, which can be translated back into binary data and, in turn, the image can be regenerated.

But, there are few bottlenecks too, semiconductor memories read and write data in microseconds and they are very economical, on the other hand, encoding and decoding data in DNA is a complex task, it requires more time and money. In 2013, researchers at European Bioinformatics Institute (EBI), Hinxton, UK estimated the cost of encoding and decoding data in DNA as $12,400 per MB and $220 per MB respectively. Of course, the cost is high when compared with conventional semiconductor memories, but technology is rapidly advancing and cost of DNA synthesis is falling.

About 2.5 quintillion bytes of data are generated every day. While storing data in digital format is easy, data archival is a complex task requiring continuing maintenance and regular transferring between storage media. Ideally, DNA provides an alternative to conventional semiconductor for secure and long-term data storage.

If you want to carry a collection of books with you, you don’t necessarily need an ebook reader thanks to a selection of free-to-download ebook apps for mobile devices.For book lovers who don’t fancy picking up a dedicated ebook reader, we’ve rounded up some of the best apps for reading ebooks on a smartphone or tablet. Read on for the details.Best Buy ebook readers– not tempted by apps? Grab an ebook reader insteadThe best apps for reading ebooks

1. iBooksPrice: book prices vary (free books also on offer)Available for: iOSApple’s own app for reading ebooks, predictably named iBooks, is a great place to start for iOS users. The stock reading app is compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, and you can turn your device landscape to view two pages at a time. The free iBooks app (with over 2.5 million titles) also lets you adjust the appearance of the screen so that text is displayed on a black background, great for readers that like to relax with a book in the evening.The iBooks experience is also available on Macs running OS X Yosemite or later. There are a selection of free books on offer, but the majority of content is paid-for.

2. Google Play BooksPrice: book prices vary (free books also on offer)Available for: iOS, AndroidGoogle’s own ebooks app lets you bookmark pages, highlight text and make notes. Some titles support text-to-speech, and there are over four million books in total. Some books on the store are free, while others can be rented or purchased to keep for good.Books are synced to your Google account, so you can start reading a book on your tablet then carry on from where you left off on your smartphone the next morning.

3. KindlePrice:book prices vary (free books also on offer)Available for: iOS, AndroidJust like iBooks, the Kindle app for iOS and Android is free to download, and you don’t need a Kindle ebook reader of your own to use it. Kindle for smartphones and tablets has a range of free titles to flick through (including Pride and Prejudice and Treasure Island), and it arrives with a built-in dictionary that makes looking up complicated words and phrases hassle-free.There are over 1.5 million books to choose from, and the app also supports popular magazines and newspapers. According to Amazon, over 650,000 titles on the Kindle app are on sale for £3.99 or less. There are also 200,000 Kindle-exclusive titles

.4. Kobo Reading AppPrice: book prices vary (free books also on offer)Available for: iOS, AndroidKobo’s own mobile ebook app is home to over five million paid-for and free titles, covering magazines, comics and books suitable for kids. Kobo’s Night Mode will reduce eyestrain during those late-night reading sessions, and the app can sync your bookmarks, notes and highlights so you can continue reading a book across different devices.We’ve tested a range of Kobo ebook readers in our test lab. Head over to our Kobo ebook reader reviews page for more.5. 50,000 Free eBooksPrice: FreeAvailable for: iOS, Android

This mobile app from Oodles is packed with free ebooks, so whether you’re an English literature student or a commuter looking for a new read, there’s plenty of choice. Books can be downloaded right to your mobile from the app, and you can read them without an internet connection. Font style and size is customisable, and you can also download audiobooks for your offline collection.

It’s worth noting that Oodles is better for classic novels than modern bestsellers, but the app is free after all.

London: Ease of accessing online contents through smartphones, tablets and laptops can freeupbrain space, but it makes harder to remember details when unaided, affecting our ability to recall information, British researchers said on Wednesday.

Growing options of wireless devices such as smartphones, tablets and laptops can free-up mental resources by outsourcing unnecessary tasks to the gadgets.

However, their scientific evidence also found the ease of access to online searches is making it harder for humans to remember information without the help of a computer.“Remembering your shopping list or an appointment is not the most effective use of your cognitive resources and if you can be reminded of that task it frees-up more space which can be used for a number of things,” said Sam Gilbert, a research fellow in cognitive neuroscience at University College London and one of the authors of the review published in ‘Trends in Cognitive Sciences’.

This so-called “cognitive offloading” or the use of tools to reduce the demand on our brains should strengthen ourmemories but other studies the experts considered showed technologies are affecting our ability to remember details.

Research into sat-navs showed drivers who used Global Positioning System remembered less about their journeys and struggled to complete the routes again when unaided.Another study into the use of digital cameras showed those who took pictures in museums could not recall as many details about exhibits as those who did not.

“There is a clear need to better understand how offloading demands onto various technologies impact on our organic abilities both in the short - and long-term,” the review added. —PTI

If you are dealing with symptoms such as red, watery and itchy eyes, frequent headaches and visual fatigue, you are not alone! With constant exposure to digital devices such as computers, smartphones, tablets, e-readers etc, a large number of people are experiencing increase in symptoms of eye fatigue in recent times, says Shivkumar J, CEO, Essilor India.

While digital devices are here to stay, Essilor has taken note of the trend to come up with products to protect you from the impact of digital overload, consumers also need to follow some basic measures to counter rising visual fatigue. Here are some essential tips:Take frequent breaks from your computer:​ While it may not be possible to reduce their usage, frequent breaks can be taken in between to give some rest to the eyes. Also important is to just stand up from your desk every hour and look away from the computer for a few minutes.

Reduce social media addiction:While a bulk of our digital exposure comes from essential work, a major part of it also due to our constant addiction to social media networks. Restrict your addiction, and you can reduce almost an hour of unnecessary exposure every day.

Use protective eyewear:Use spectacle lenses customized to the need of the times, which can offer prevention and protection for your eyes against digital overload, harmful blue light, strain and fatigue.

Never carry your smartphone to bed:Make sure you keep your phone away at least half an hour before going to bed; get rid of the habit of lurking on to social media channels before falling asleep.